Link chain detacher

ABSTRACT

A portable support device for facilitating the detachment of one link of a link chain from another includes a base plate, an abutment plate extending at an angle outwardly of the base plate, and a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;bumping&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; or abutment block located centrally of the base plate. A clamping arrangement mounted on the bumping block clamps a first link in the chain in the area of the intersection between the base and abutment plates. The abutment plate is angled with respect to the base plate so as to permit an adjacent link lying thereagainst to be displaced transversely with respect to the first link and so disconnected therefrom, this displacement being manually effected by impacting forces and the bumping block serving in absorbing these forces.

United States Patent Bebo [151 3,668,767 1 June 13, 1972 [54] LINK CHAIN DETACHER [72] Inventor: Vernon H. Bebo, Academy, S. 573 I0 [22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 859,889

52 us. c1 ..29/283, 269/872, 269/154, 269/246 51 1111.01 ..B23g 7/04, B25b 1/00 58 1 Field ofSearch ..29/283; 269/154, 116, 117, 269/124, 125, 5, 246, 249, 2,- 871, 87.2, 104

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,841,196 111932 Mass ..269/l04 1,954,708 4/1934 Mass.... ....269/87.2 x

Holiday... 3,009,313 ll/l96l Wheeler.

Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-Leon Gilden Attorney-Larson, Taylor and Hinds ABSTRACT A portable support device for facilitating the detachment of one link of a link chain from another includes a base plate, an

abutment plate extending at an angle outwardly of the base plate, and a bumping" or abutment block located centrally of the base plate. A clamping arrangement mounted on the bumping block clamps a first link in the chain in the area of the intersection between the base and abutment plates. The abutment plate is angled with respect to the base plate so as to permit an adjacent link lying thereagainst to be displaced transversely with respect to the first link and so disconnected therefrom, this displacement being manually effected by impacting forces and the bumping block serving in absorbing these forces.

'5 Chins, 3 Drawing Figures l LINK CHAIN DETACI-[ER FIELD OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem of detaching the links of a link chain such as commonly used in farm machinery and the like is a particularly vexing one, the usual method being manual with tools such asa hammer, pliers or a wrench, and an anvil being used.

in merely pounding the links apart. It will be appreciated that this task is a difficult and time-consuming one and generally results in deformation or destruction of the links themselves so that reuse is precluded. Although a number of arrangements have been devised for reducing the amount of manual labor necessary in detaching the links these arrangements have not met with widespread acceptance. There are a number of reasons for the lack of success of the arrangements of the prior art including the relatively great expense thereof considering the task to be performed and the general ineffectiveness of the arrangements due to factors such as the handling difficulty presented and the amount of time consumed in completing a detachment operation. Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of these arrangements, apart from cost considerations, is that use thereof requires that the chain be taken down or removed from the machine. This procedure, of course, adds to the time required by the detaching operation and to the general inconvenience thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a device for facilitating the detachment of the links of a link chain is provided which overcomes the disadvantages of similar devices of the prior art. The device of the invention is economical to manufacture as well as effective and efficient in operation. In accordance with an important feature thereof, the general construction of the device permits dismantling of a link chain while the chain remains in the machine.

To briefly consider a presently preferred embodiment thereof, a device in accordance with the present invention generally comprises a supporting arrangementon which the chain to be dismantled is supported and a clamping device for clamping the chain to the supporting arrangement. Thesupporting arrangement itself comprises a base plate and an abutment plate, the abutment plate being formed integrally with the base plate and extending at an anglethereto so as to support a first link of the chain with respect to a second link thereof so as to pennit the first link to be displaced transversely with respect to the second link and hence disconnected therefrom. The clamping device includes at least one adjustable bolt member which clamps the second link securely to the supporting arrangement. The clamping device is mounted on an abutment or bumping" block mounted centrally of the base plate, the abutment block presenting a surface against which the chain abuts and hence serving in absorbing impact forces such as provided by hammer blows used in displacing the first link with respect to the second link. Adjustment bolt members are preferably mounted opposite sides of the central abutment block to provide flexibility in the use of the device, this arrangement permitting the user access to the chain from two sides.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in or apparent from the detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment found hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION UP THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating a link chain supported thereon and with the operative position of the clamping device being indicated in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1 with a suitable detaching tool shown in phantom lines; and

FIG. 3 is a detail of the chain shown in FIG. 1 with the position in which the chain is supported by the device being shown in solid lines and the normal position ofthe chain being shown in phantom lines.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a link chain detaching device in.

accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention includes a base plate 10 and an abutment plate 12. Abutment plate 12, which isformed integrally with base plate 10, is arranged at an angle with respect to base plate 10 and serves in supporting a first link 16 of a link chain [4 at an angle withrespect to a second link 18 as is described-in more detail hereinbelow. An abutment or bumping block 20 formed by a portion of a steel bar is mounted centrally of base plate 10 and extends longitudinally thereof as shown.

A cross flange member 22 is secured to a mounting member 24 which is, in turn, bolted by means of bolts 26 to abutment block 20. Mounting member 24' includes a base portion 240 located atop and resting on abutment block 20 and a support portion 24b which extends upwardly and' outwardly at an angle from base portion 24a as shown. Transverse or cross flange member 22 is secured to support portion 24b of mounting member 24 by suitable means such as bolt 26 and extends transversely thereto. Fmd portions 22aand 22b of flange member 22 extend outwardly from support portion 240 of mounting member 24 on opposite sides thereof. End portions 224 and 22b each include a threaded aperture for receiving screw-threaded adjustment members 28 and 30, respectively. Adjustment members 28 and 30 are fonned by threaded bolts 32 and 34 which include generally disc-like clamping members 32a and 34a, respectively, at the ends thereof. Clamping members 32a and 340 include flat end surfaces which engage the chain links as described hereinbelow. Wing nuts 32b and 34b provide easy individual adjustment of the position of the adjustment members 28 and 30 relative to the base plate 10 and abutment plate 12.

To enable better appreciation of the operation of the chain link detacher device described hereinabove, the construction of the link chains thenmelves will be considered. Chain 14 is, of course, made up of a series of links including links 16 and 18 referred to hereinabove. Considering adjacent links "S and 18 as exemplary, and referring particularly to FIG. 3, links 16 and 18 are secured together through an arrangement comprising a transverse, cylindrical pin or pintle member 16a forming one end of link 16, and a transverse slotted sleeve member 18a forming the end of link 18 adjacent link 16. A longitudinal slot 18b in sleeve member 18a permits the reception of pin 16a pivotable in recess 18c as is indicated in FIG. 3 and slot 18b is located relative to recess 1&- such that the stress produced by the normal longitudinal forces exerted on thechain, that is, the forces exerted with the side portions 16c in the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3, are taken up by the portion of sleeve 18a positioned outwardly of pin member 160. Referring to FIG. 3, with side portions 16c of link 16 positioned at an angle with respect to the plane of link 18 as shown in FIG. 3, the side portions of link 16 may be displaced transversely in slot 18b relative to link 18 so that link 16 may be disconnected from link 18.

It is noted that a pin 16a is securely received in recess 18c and thus displacement of link 16 must be effected forceably using a suitable punch tool or the like such as that indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 2 and generally denoted 36. Tool 36 in-.

cludes a reduced end portion 360 for engaging pin 16a, and impacting forces exerted such as by hammer blows on the other end of tool 36, provide displacement of link 16 relative to link 18.

With this background, it will be appreciated that abutment plate 16 provides optimum positioning of link 16 relative to link 18. Further, adjustmentmembers 28 and 30 provide clamping of link 18 in the area of intersection between plates 10 and 12 as shown. For the exemplary embodiment under thereof indicated in phantom lines, engages the upper portion v of sleeve 18a of link 18 and clamps link 18 securely to base plate 10. Chain 14 is positioned along abutment block 20 as shown with a portion thereof extending along abutment plate 12. With link 18 secured in the manner described and link 16 lying fiat against abutment plate 12, the relative positions of links 16 and 18 are such as to permit displacement of link 16 relative to link 18 as described hereinabove and as indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 2. To etfect such displacement, tool 36 is held in one hand so that the reduced end portion 36a thereof engages pin 16a and a hammer held in the other hand provides the impact forces necessary to drive link 16, together with the other links of the chain 14 attached thereto, to the right as shown to effect disconnection of the links 16 and 18.

In accordance with an important feature of the present invention, abutment block 20 serves in absorbing the hammer blows used in effecting disconnection of the chain links 16 and 18, the side surface of block 20 abutting with portions of the chain lying on plate' and absorbing blows transmitted through these portions. This feature of the invention together with the compact and rugged construction of the detacher device and the ready portability thereof permits the device to be used on the job, that is, while the chain is still in the machine. Further, the provision of an adjustment member on either side of block 20 facilitates utilization of the detacher device under varied circumstances by providing either lefthand or right-hand access to the chains the links of which are to be disconnected. I

Although the invention has been described in detail with respect to an exemplary embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that variations and modifications may be effected within the scope and spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A device for facilitating the detachment of the links of a link chain wherein the transverse connecting pin of one link is received in a transverse recess in an end connector of an adjacent link, comprising a supporting member, including a base plate and a support plate forming an angle of between 90 and 180 with respect to the base plate, for supporting a link chain with a first link lying adjacent to said base plate and a second link connected to the first link lying against said support plate such that the second link may be displaced transversely with respect to said first link to efiect disconnection thereof; adjustable clamping means forsecurely clamping said first link to the base plate; and an abutment block, located on said base plate and presenting a surface against which the chain abuts during the application of forces necessary to cause displacement of the second link with respect to the first link, for aiding in absorbing such forces.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said abutment block is mounted centrally of said base plate and said clamping means comprises first and second threaded bolt members and supporting means for supporting said bolt members on opposite sides of said abutment block, said first and second bolts providing for clamping of a chain on either side of said abutment block. r

3. A device claimed in claim 2 wherein said base plate is formed integrally with said abutment plate.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said supporting means includes a fiange member which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of said abutment block and includes first andsecond outwardly oppositely extending portions each including an opening therethrough for receiving said first and second bolt members respectively, said bolt members extending in the operative positions thereof with the clamping surfaces thereof adjacent the area of intersection between the base plate and the support plate.

5. A device as claimed in claim v1 wherein said clamping means comprises at least one longitudinally adjustable clamping bolt and means for supporting said belt at an acute angle with respect to the base plate and with the clamping surface thereof, in the operative position thereof, adjacent the area of intersection between the base plate and the support plate so as to provide clamping of the connecting portions of the first and second links at this area of intersection. 

1. A device for facilitating the detachment of the links of a link chain wherein the transverse connecting pin of one link is received in a transverse recess in an end connector of an adjacent link, comprising a supporting member, including a base plate and a support plate forming an angle of between 90* and 180* with respect to the base plate, for supporting a link chain with a first link lying adjacent to said base plate and a second link connected to the fiRst link lying against said support plate such that the second link may be displaced transversely with respect to said first link to effect disconnection thereof; adjustable clamping means for securely clamping said first link to the base plate; and an abutment block, located on said base plate and presenting a surface against which the chain abuts during the application of forces necessary to cause displacement of the second link with respect to the first link, for aiding in absorbing such forces.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said abutment block is mounted centrally of said base plate and said clamping means comprises first and second threaded bolt members and supporting means for supporting said bolt members on opposite sides of said abutment block, said first and second bolts providing for clamping of a chain on either side of said abutment block.
 3. A device claimed in claim 2 wherein said base plate is formed integrally with said abutment plate.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said supporting means includes a flange member which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of said abutment block and includes first and second outwardly oppositely extending portions each including an opening therethrough for receiving said first and second bolt members respectively, said bolt members extending in the operative positions thereof with the clamping surfaces thereof adjacent the area of intersection between the base plate and the support plate.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises at least one longitudinally adjustable clamping bolt and means for supporting said bolt at an acute angle with respect to the base plate and with the clamping surface thereof, in the operative position thereof, adjacent the area of intersection between the base plate and the support plate so as to provide clamping of the connecting portions of the first and second links at this area of intersection. 